


Winter Warmth

by KimliPan



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Drabble, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-15
Updated: 2012-11-15
Packaged: 2017-11-18 16:42:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/563181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KimliPan/pseuds/KimliPan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Drabble.  Iroh and Bolin cuddle and warm each other during a cold winter storm in front of a fire place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Winter Warmth

Bolin was used to cold winters. Republic City was far enough south that it got a lot of snow and still far enough north that you could be homeless and make it through. Snow and ice and slush was always everywhere — dirty, muddy, get-in-everything-but-never-out slush that was extra wet and stuck to everything. Mako would sometimes warm them both by cradling a soft, low-light fire between them when they had nothing else left to burn, but it never took the chill off their backs.

Nothing could have prepared Bolin for a winter out on the ocean. There were no buildings to break up the wind and no alleyways to hide in. The deck seemed to be perpetually frozen when no one was warming it, but there was _no snow_. Not usually. Iroh was thankful for that, but Bolin missed it a little. That was why he was a little excited when one morning he woke up and the decks were coated with fluffy, light, white snow. The first thing he tried to do was make a snowball, but it wasn’t good packing snow (Mako had taught him how to tell good fighting snow from useless fluff) and anyway, Iroh had the men clear it off as fast as they could.

The General had his ships dock as soon as they received a wire warning them about a blizzard. Bolin dragged his feet about it — he wanted to see what a blizzard at sea was like — but Iroh was acting as a General, not a tour guide. Though a brief break in a foreign city _was_ a bit of a vacation.

The blizzard came and the tiny city’s hotel wasn’t nearly big enough for the entire crew. Some of the men were put up in the locals' spare bedrooms. Iroh and Bolin were invited to stay at the Innkeeper’s home for the week since their daughter, whose bed they were offered, was off visiting family elsewhere. This way, the General could stay close to him men, and have his own quiet quarters away from them both at once.

Their living room was cozy with a well-built fireplace and enough room for the small family plus the two young men. Fortunately by the point in the night when Bolin wanted to get most comfortable, the rest of the small family had gone upstairs to bed. Bolin and Iroh were alone by the fireside.

The air was cool in the room but the fire warmed their faces. Homesickness tugged at Bolin who moved to rest against Iroh so the United Forces General’s chest could warm his back. “I wonder what Mako’s doing,” he said idly, breaking the long but comfortable silence that had enveloped the room. The innkeeper’s graying dog climbed onto the couch and laid in the small space Bolin had made when he leaned against his lover. “I bet he and Korra are making snow angels.”

Iroh draped an arm around Bolin. As the fire calmed to a gentle glow, he looked down at the young man in his lap. “Is this your first time being apart?” he asked. Bolin nodded. Iroh quirked a half-smiled and nodded. “I can’t imagine.”

Bolin reached up and mussed Iroh’s hair. “Can’t you, General, Sir?” he asked. When Iroh shook his head, Bolin offered him a pout. “Well, can you heat my coco?” he asked, leaning forward to grab his air-chilled mug from the table. Iroh took the mug and very tactfully warmed the bottom with his hands before handing it back to Bolin. The earthbender held the cup with both hands, which was perfect for Iroh who wrapped his arms around Bolin from behind and placed his fire-heated palms over the backs of his cold hands. “You can do that too, I guess,” Bolin said comfortably, leaning back against Iroh once more. The dog adjusted on the couch and rested his slightly-drooly chin on Bolin’s lap.

Silence blanketed them once more, save for the quiet nipping of the fire over the wood and the humble snoring of a well-lived dog. Comforted by this, Iroh placed a kiss on Bolin’s head — then his neck, then his chin, then his cheek. Bolin turned his head to catch the kisses on his lips; the moment lingered and the dog groaned. This was Bolin’s best winter yet.


End file.
